Bowling-alley.



J. H.-STODDARD- BOWLING ALLEY.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1903. 9-1 9 ,086, v Patented Apr. 20,1909,

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.LH. STQDDARD. BOWLING ALLEY. APPLICATION FILED JULY '9, 1908. 7 919,086, Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormioa.

JAMES H. STODDARD, OF LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA.

B OWLING-ALLEY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. STODDARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Gatos, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling- Alleys, of which the following is a specification.

M invention relates to an improvement in bow 'ng alleys and more particularly to that class known as box ball, and the object is to provide means whereby the ins when struck will sound an alarm or indicate the number of the pin struck.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of arts which will be hereinafter described an pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view of the ordinary alley; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the pins and connections; Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of the device, and Fig. 4 is an end view of the pins.

A represents the usual alley, and 1, 1 are pins suspended on a rod 3, which is supported in the sides of the alley. These pins are supported above the floor of the alley a certam distance and the pins are separated sufliciently from each other to permit of the ball passing between the pins or between the pins and the sides of the alley. The pins are preferably weighted at their lower ends to insure their returning to their normal position after being struck. A bar 4 extends transversely of the alley and is connected to the sides thereof and affords a stop to limit the forward movement of the pins on their return to their normal position after being struck. A rail 5 is supported between the sides of the alley at the rear of the pins, and extending longitudinally of the rail are wires 6 and 7, the wire 6 being connected to a battery 8, and the wire 7 connected up with the annunciator 9, and leading from the annunciator to the battery is a wire 10. Extending across the wires and in contact therewith are contact arms 11, 11. These arms are secured to the rail 5 and rest upon the tops of the pins 1, 1. Along the upper edge of t e pins and on the rear side thereof are contact Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1908.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 442,706.

plates 12, 12, whichare ad ted to cause the connection with the contc :rms when the pin is struck and caused to swing rearwardly. Through this connection the annunciator is sounded.

From the foregoing'it will be seen that as the pins are struck contact will be made between the contact arms and pins whereby an alarm is given indicating t at a pin has been struck.

It is evident that more or less slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein set forth, but

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a bowling alley, the combination with pins suspended therein, of a rail, contact arms supported on the rail and in engagement wit the pins, an annunciator, means connectin the contact arms with the annunciator, an contact plates on the pins adapted to engage the contact arms when the pin is struck creating a circuit for operating the annunciator.

2. In a bowling alley, the combination with pins suspended therein, of a rail secured in the rear of the pins, contact arms supported upon the rail and in enga ement with the pins, a second rail mounte in front of the pins for limiting their forward move ment, an annunciator, means connecting the contact arms with the annunciator, and contact plates on the pins adapted to engage the contact arms when the pin is struck creating a circuit for operatin the annunciator.

3. In a bowling a ley, the combination with pins suspended therein, of a rail, contact arms sup orted upon the rail and in engagement wit the pins, an annunciator, means connecting the contact arms with the annunciator, and contact plates secured in recesses on the ins adapted to engage the contact arms w en the pm is struck creating a circuit for operatin the annunciator.

4. In a bowling a ley, the combination with pins suspended therein, of a rail, contact arms sup orted upon the rail and in encuit made by the contact plates coming into gagement wit the upper surfaces of the contact with the contact arms. 10 pins, beveled recesses formed in the pins, In testimony whereof I affix my signa contact plates secured in the recesses below ture, in the presence of two Witnesses.

the upper surface of the pins, an annunciator, JAMES H. STODDARD.

and means connecting the contact arms and Vitnesses:

the annunciator whereby the annunciator is ANDREW O. ROBERTsON operated when the pins are struck and a cir- W. A. STIDsroN.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 919,086, granted April 20, 1909, upon the application of James H. Stoddard, of Los Gatos, California, for an improvement'in Bowling-Alleys, errors appear requiring correction, as follows: In the drawings forming part of said patent the reference-numeral 5 should appear to indicate the rail; 6 and 7 should indicate wires extending longitudinally of the rail; 8 the bat- I tery 9 the annunciator, and 10 the Wire leading from the battery to the annunciator; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. I

Signed and sealed this 8th day of June, A. D., 1909.

[SEAL] C. G. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

